We’re back with another fact or fiction piece, and in this week’s edition, I’m going to give my verdict on the Dallas Cowboys offseason.
While the Cowboys have re-signed players and added two outside free agents, none of their decisions have exactly warranted any excitement for fans, or me.
If you compare the current roster to the team that got bounced in the first round of the playoffs, it feels like their overall talent took a major blow, so you may see regression this season.
With all of that said, check out my statement below:
“The Cowboys can save their offseason by signing a big-time free agent.”
Is it just me or anytime a “big player” is linked to the Dallas Cowboys as a possible target, I know the odds they chase or sign the player is astronomically small.
If we go based on the franchise’s free-agent history, the last time the Cowboys went after a “big name” player in free agency was in 2012, when they signed Cornerback Brandon Carr, and before him, Wide Receiver Terrell Owens in 2006.
While players such as Defensive End Greg Hardy, Kicker Greg Zuerlein, and Defensive Tackle Gerald McCoy could also be considered big-time players they signed, it felt like their signings were mostly hype because of their name, and they weren’t in their prime anymore.
Jumping to this year’s free agency, the Cowboys were linked by multiple sites to Defensive Ends Von Miller and Chandler Jones, Outside Linebacker Za’Darius Smith, Safety Tyrann Mathieu, Linebacker Bobby Wagner as potential free agent signings, and in typical Cowboy’s fashion–they didn’t sign any of them.
Now, I understand there is still a possibility the franchise can still actually sign Wagner, Mathieu, or even Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney, but my advice to fans is– don’t get your hopes up too high.
The franchise did sign Wide Receiver James Washington and Defensive End Dante Fowler, who were decent pickups, but those two are more low-risk, high-reward type players that don’t move the needle for the team’s overall talent.
As teams in both conferences signed or traded for stud players to stack up their rosters towards a Super Bowl run, the Cowboys remained complacent with their in-house talent and lost four key starters, and now it feels like there are more question marks at key positions for them.
Recently, Quarterback Dak Prescott made comments at a ribbon-cutting event that went viral that promised a kid the franchise was winning the Super Bowl this year, and added they weren’t done making moves in free agency, the draft was still coming–so expect the roster to change still.
However, as much as I want to believe Prescott, my verdict is FICTION since the franchise hasn’t shown any urgency to make big changes towards improving the roster, and I’m prepping myself for another year of mediocrity next season.
